WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This spring, the long-awaited re-installation of the Corcoran Gallery of Art's world-renowned collection of American art will open in a special exhibition, The American Evolution: A History through Art. A fresh look at the Corcoran's extensive American holdings, the exhibition showcases more than 200 objects in a wide range of media, dating from the colonial era to present day. The American Evolution will open on March 1 and remain on view until July 27, 2008.
The American Evolution presents the collection in light of five themes that have shaped American culture: Money, Land, Politics, Cultural Exchange and The Modern World (see Exhibition Walk-Through Press Release). These themes are fundamental to the development of the United States, as well as to the stories that have become central to the country's national identity. As demonstrated in this exhibition, art plays a crucial role in telling these stories.
"This exhibition is one of the largest and most diverse displays of American art ever to be mounted at the Corcoran. It is not size and scope alone that distinguish the installation from earlier presentations of our collection, however. The display also purposefully rejects the chronological structure of traditional art historical surveys in favor of a thematic model that highlights continuities in American artistic production and culture from the colonial era to the present day," said Emily Shapiro, Assistant Curator of American Art.
The American Evolution is sponsored by the Sotheby's MasterCard. Additional support is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.
The term "evolution" suggests change over time, and The American Evolution proposes that the United States is a dynamic nation in a constant state of re-definition. From Gilbert Stuart's stately 18th-century portrait of George Washington to Andy Warhol's irreverent 1973 likeness of the Chinese leader Mao Zedong, and from Frederic Edwin Church's dramatic 1857 view from the brink of Niagara Falls to Richard Diebenkorn's abstract 1975 rendering of the suburban expanses of Ocean Park, California, The American Evolution explores many of the ways that American life and art have developed over the past 250 years.
"This exhibition has work that will appeal to everyone, from people interested in traditional American painting and history to those more drawn to contemporary art and culture," said Sarah Newman, Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art. "It provides a tour of the most of the great developments in American art over the past two centuries, but it also puts them into a context which throws new light on old favorites."
This highly anticipated display of highlights from the Corcoran's American collection will include a remarkable number of iconic works in a variety of genres. The display will feature stately Colonial-era portraits by John Singleton Copley and Gilbert Stuart; elegant neoclassical marble sculptures by Hiram Powers and William Rinehart; outstanding Hudson River School paintings by Thomas Cole and Sanford Gifford; grand Western subjects by Albert Bierstadt and Frederic Remington; light-filled landscapes and figure paintings by American Impressionists Mary Cassatt, John Singer Sargent, and Childe Hassam; stunning examples of early American modernism by Marsden Hartley and Stuart Davis; important post-war abstractions by Joan Mitchell, Willem de Kooning, and Mark Rothko; minimalist and post-minimalist treasures by Ellsworth Kelly, Gene Davis, and Martin Puryear; and contemporary works by Glenn Ligon and Kara Walker.
This exhibition and its related programming (see Public Programs Press Release) will explore Americans' use of visual images as a means to describe and understand the world around them. This extensive presentation of the Corcoran's collection will encourage a closer examination of the relationship between art and history. The works stand on their own as outstanding examples of the major styles, subjects, and movements of American art history, yet they are also cultural artifacts that have much to teach visitors about themselves, their national identity and their evolving nation.
The Corcoran Gallery of Art is thrilled to provide its first cell-phone tour in conjunction with The American Evolution. A variety of speakers on selected topics will be available to visitors throughout the exhibition. Using their own cell-phone, visitors choose interpretations or discussions of interest. The cell-phone tour is provided free of charge and a Spanish translation of all discussions will be available.
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
The American Evolution: A History through Art is organized by the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Corcoran curators of the exhibition are Emily Shapiro, Assistant Curator of American Art and Sarah Newman, Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art (see Curator Bios).
HOURS
The Corcoran's hours of operation are as follows: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; closed Tuesday. The hours of operation for the Corcoran's Cafe des Artistes are as follows: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The hours of operation for the Corcoran's Coffee Bar are as follows: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
TICKETS
Tickets to The American Evolution: A History through Art cost $12 for adults/seniors/military and $10 for students. Exhibition ticket prices include The American Evolution and general admission to the museum. To purchase tickets, visit http://www.corcoran.org/, http://www.ticketmaster.com/ or call (202) 639-1700.
MEMBERSHIP
Members of the Corcoran Gallery of Art enjoy unlimited, free access to The American Evolution: A History through Art and to the museum's renowned permanent collection. They also receive special invitations to lectures, films, concerts and a dazzling array of social events. Additional benefits include valuable discounts at the Corcoran Shop, the casually elegant Cafe de Artistes, and courses at the Corcoran College of Art + Design.
Member Preview Day for The American Evolution is Thursday, February 28 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, contact the membership office at (202) 639-1753, email to membership@corcoran.org or visit http://www.corcoran.org/membership.
ABOUT THE CORCORAN
The Corcoran Gallery of Art, a privately funded institution, was founded in 1869 as Washington's first and largest non-federal museum of art. It is known internationally for its distinguished collection of historical and modern American art as well as contemporary art, photography, European painting, sculpture and the decorative arts. Founded in 1890, the Corcoran College of Art + Design is Washington's only four-year college of art and design offering Bachelor of Fine Art degrees in Photojournalism, Digital Media Design, Fine Art, Graphic Design, Interior Design, and Photography; Associate of Fine Art degrees in Digital Media Design, Fine Art, Graphic Design and Photography; a five-year Bachelor of Fine Arts/Master of Arts degree in Fine Art and Teaching (BFA/MAT); and two-year Master of Arts degrees in Teaching, Interior Design, Exhibition Design, and the History of Decorative Arts. The College's Continuing Education program offers part-time credit and non-credit classes for children and adults. More information about the Corcoran is available at http://www.corcoran.org/.
Corcoran Gallery of Art
